


Working at the Carwash

by Mistevieous



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-04-23 01:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19140643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistevieous/pseuds/Mistevieous
Summary: 80s-ish carwash au? okay!





	1. Chapter 1

The carwash ran every day, rain or shine, summer or winter, it didn’t matter. South had been there a couple of years now, and it wasn’t terrible but she was sick of scrubbing bugs off grills and people giving her shit if they didn’t think she was cleaning their piece of shit cars fast enough. The pay wasn’t great, the work sucked, but frankly, there wasn’t much more to expect from a small town. It was shit, but one day- one day! She was going to get out! Until then, it was scraping shit off windshields and punching the vacuums in the back while picturing customers’ faces. 

But, there was a small improvement at the carwash. There was a new guy working with them. Kinda cute, mostly a goober, made her laugh a bit. Something North refused to ignore and continued to endlessly tease her about. Which earned him a vacuum nozzle down the back of his pants. It was nothing, she told her brother that a million times. Maybe she snickered when the hose got away from the new guy his first day, that was more being mean than being amused by him. Amused at him doesn’t count, right?

The first week of him being there was full of laughs like that, he was a goof, and everyone had major hiccups trying to figure shit out their first few days here. It was nothing. Even if at lunch, his second day, she shared some food with him. He forgot his lunch, their break was too short to run off and get something at a nearby shop. While it was tempting to see if he’d faint from not eating enough while doing the physical work of the carwash- that’d only mean she’d have to pick up the slack if he was drooling on the floor. 

It was a slow day, if you could call it that. Still car after car, but they didn’t have a huge line wrapping around the street, so. Slow enough. Which was good with the heat, middle of summer and they were stuck working their asses off instead of going to the lake or something fun. The uniform wasn’t helping, didn’t breathe and the dark color drew in the heat like crazy. Even with it being a little slow, it was a miserable day. 

“You changed your hair?” Monty, the new guy, asked after they finished a few cars and had a second to breathe. 

“I pulled it back if that’s what you mean.” Two little pigtails, because her hair was too short for a ponytail to be of any real use. Even in two little ones she had strands popping out and getting in her face, sticking to her sweaty skin.

“It looks nice.” He shrugged, a lopsided smile on his face. 

She raised an eyebrow, but another car came zooming in for a wash before she could do more. 

They were on the third car, well a truck to be exact, bumping elbows and trying to get it done quickly. It was pretty monotonous, overall. Vehicle pulls up, driver goes in to pay and shit with North, they scrub it down and get it done as soon as possible and get them on their way. Over and over and over. The truck was huge and took forever, even with them both moving quickly trying to finish it up and get this guy going. The thing was caked in mud, some of it still damp but most of it dry and stuck to the truck. 

South was in the bed of the truck with a bucket, washing down the back window when she looked over to check on Monty’s progress. She watched him wipe down the side of the bed, a mischievous smile pulling over her lips. He was so focused on the task, not paying attention past the spot he was working on. 

Watching him to make sure he wasn’t looking over yet, she dipped the sponge in the soapy water, not bothering to wring any of the water out before she lifted it and gave it a sharp thrust out towards him, showering him in lukewarm water. She couldn’t help laughing as he jumped back, a look of confusion on his face. He shot her a questioning look, suds sticking to his cheek and his shirt. 

“What?” She asked as innocently as possible, which might have been more effective if she wasn’t still holding the sponge out.

“Did you just hurl filthy carwash water on me?” Monty questioned, narrowing his eyes despite the little smile pulling at his lips.

“...No?” She replied with a half grin, lowering the sponge. 

“You know I’m going to get you back, right?” The threat was softly said, but it was without a doubt a promise of revenge.

“You can try.” She shrugged, another smile flashing across her face as they got back to work. 

After a few cars were added to their list of accomplishments, she figured he was either full of hot air or forgot, letting her guard down as another car came to get cleaned. 

South was bent over the hood to reach a spot, attention focused on scrubbing what she could only hope was bird shit off of the paint, when a sudden icly wave it her back. She yelled and jumped upright, staggering back a few steps and looking around. 

Monty stood with a hose in hand, rinsing off the side of the car and whistling innocently. 

“What the hell, did you just spray me with that?!” She yelled, eyes wide and body still a little in shock from the sudden cold water. 

“Hmm? Me? Oh- no definitely not.” He shook his head, free hand gesturing to the car, “Just rinsing the soap off.”

She stared at him a long second before pointing the sponge at him, “This is a war now, I hope you’re ready for what you started.” 

“What I started!” He scoffed, his hand pointing to her instead of the car now, “You started it! You threw gross sponge water on my face!” 

“Don’t be a baby, there were only a few dead bugs and a little bit of mud in it.” She insisted, eyeing him before returning to the hood. “And it was still your fault.”

“How? How was it my fault? I didn’t do anything!” He protested as he resumed his rinsing as well, still looking over at her now and then.

She just shrugged to his question, squinting over at him before focusing on the stubborn spot.

They played nice to finish the car and a couple more, then South was back to her antics. She waited until he seemed to focus more on the car at hand before she started back up. She filled a bucket with fresh water, like usual, and started towards the back of the car like she was planning to throw some soap in and get scrubbing. Instead, she waited another moment or two while he worked on a window, then upturned the bucket on his back and took off running to the other side of the car. 

Monty yelled out to the sudden flood of water, a curse slipping free as he tried to backtrack away from the already finished assault. He looked wide eyed over at her smiling face, shaking his head and giving her a threatening shake of his washcloth. 

The rest of the day went about the same: They’d both wait for a few cars then attack the other, making a mess of water and soap and towels. By the end of the day, with the last car pulling away, they were both soaking wet and laughing too much for this bullshit job. 

“Do I even want to ask?” North said when he came out of his cozy little shack and looked at the two of them. 

“Monty started being an ass, I finished it.” She nodded, rolling up a water hose and grinning. 

“I still don’t get how I started anything.” He huffed, gathering up the last of the washcloths and towels into a bucket to be tossed in the laundry hamper. 

“Trust me, South is never to blame for anything she does.” North sighed and shook his head, moving to help them with cleaning up for the day. 

Once everything was put in it’s place, they started to head out, South lingering behind her brother to walk with Monty. 

“Hey,” She started as she bumped him with her elbow, “We’re off tomorrow, got any plans for tonight?” 

He shook his head, hands in his pants pockets, “Nope, just going home and crashing out.”

“Borning!” She bumped him with her shoulder this time, trying to knock him off step. 

Monty staggered just slightly, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her, “What are your plans, then?”

“Gonna go to this roller rink I know, they have some dancing, food, drinks, skating rink. You should come.” She replied, giving a little grin before adding, “North’ll be there too, if his boring ass can get out, you can too.” 

He was quiet for a moment before shrugging one shoulder and glancing up at North walking just ahead of them, “I dono, maybe I can go. Where’s it at?” 

South slapped his shoulder with her hand playfully as she rolled her eyes, “We’ll pick you up in an hour, be ready.” 

With that, she hurried ahead to her brother, glancing back at Monty a second before they got to their car and hopped in. 

About an hour later, South and North showed up to get Monty up and brought him to the roller rink. It wasn’t anything fancy, but the music was loud and everyone seemed to be having fun. South was greeted by several people, obviously having been there plenty of times and well known by many of the others there having fun. At least she didn’t abandon Monty, lingering close as North wandered away. South grabbed a coke, shoving one in his hand before nudging him more into the buzz of people. 

“Stop being so stiff and awkward.” She said in a teasing tone, sipping her drink.

“I’m not, I’m just standing here.” Monty insisted, wrinkling his nose a bit. 

“You’re not even moving a little to the music.” She fussed, her shoulders moving slightly to the beat, an elbow prodding at him. 

“We’re not on the dance floor, and we barely got here.” He eyed her, but did start to bob his head a little to the music. 

South rolled her eyes, about to say more when she caught North’s gaze from across the room. She raised an eyebrow to his smirk, then narrowed her eyes when he stretched it into a grin. Weirdo… Whatever he was trying to hint at with his darting gaze and teasing smile was lost on her. She just watched him a little longer until he was distracted with other people, unsure what he was trying to get at and not sure if she even cared. Shaking her head, she focused back on Monty.

“You’re too quiet.” She finally said as she put her drink down, glancing back out at the crowd of people.

“Don’t hear you saying much, either.” He countered, watching as she took his soda to place dow next to her’s.

“Because I don’t wanna stand here talking to myself.” She nodded, totally proving whatever point she was making while teasing him.

“Hey, I’m responding to you at least.” Monty argued, crossing his arms over his chest. 

South eyed him again before the song changed, her face lighting up suddenly. 

“Fucking A!” She let out, “I love this song!” And that was the only warning he was given before she caught his arm and started dragging him to the dance floor. 

“I don’t exactly dance. Or know how.” He admitted, eyes just barely wider than normal. 

“It’s easy, just move your body a bit to the music. Simple.” It was easy, right? Just move a little to the music, easiest thing ever.

“Really, this is going to be embarrassing for both of us.” He insisted, awkwardly looking back to the safety of their cups.

“Keep your eyes on me.” She demanded as she caught his chin with her fingertips and turned his face back towards her. 

“But-” Monty started only to be cut off by her huffing exaggeratedly. 

“Shut up and dance with me, Monty.” South said as she grabbed his wrist and swayed his arm lightly to the beat.

Their eyes met mid-protest, she was grinning and it made his somewhat concerned expression softened. She let her hand slip from his wrist to his fingers, holding them just tight enough to tug him along to the music. And that was the end of his arguing. They were dancing. 

The night was both too short but seemed to last an eternity in the best way. South’s face hurt from how much she kept grinning all night, but she couldn’t care less. As late as it was, it was still all over too soon, too early. The rink closed before they could do any skating, having been caught up too much in dancing together, and they piled back into the twins’ car to head out.

South hopped into the back this time, squishing unnecessarily close to Monty. They spoke in hushed voices, heads close together in her attempt to keep North from hearing them, keep him out of her business. Not that they were talking about anything even slightly important. She was teasing him about being a bad dancer, he was switching between insisting he had warned her and that it wasn’t that bad. She tried not to keep grinning, but she couldn’t help it, teasing him and adding in a few little elbows to his arm or side, mostly just light little prods. 

All too soon again, they were pulling up to his house and ending another part of their night. He was getting out and she watched a second, considering if she should tag along or wait int he car, finally saying fuck it and clambering out. She lead him to his own door, laughing at another teasing comment he tried to defend against. 

“Okay, so, who even won the fight at work today, anyways?” He asked, hands going into his pockets again.

“I did, obviously.” She laughed, shoving his shoulder lightly.

“I don’t know, think it was more of a tie.” He insisted, poking a foot out to playfully kick her shoe.

“There’s only winning or losing, no tying. And- I never lose.” She replied with a grin.

“You’re awful.” Monty replied, though he was laughing still.

“Maybe, but I’m fun.” South laughed as well, shoving his shoulder again.

“You are.” He agreed lightly before adding, “And I had fun tonight, too.”

“Same.” She paused after she replied, looking at him a moment before leaning in to steal a peck to his lips. 

He looked taken back, but a dopey grin spread across his face a second later. 

South gave yet another shove to his shoulder as the millionth grin pulled at her face, turning to leave. 

“The war continues Monday!” She warned over her shoulder before hopping into the car, pointedly ignoring North’s smug look as they drove away.


	2. Skating

She wouldn’t admit it, not even to Monty, but work was so much more...fun, now. South actually looked forward to her shifts, knowing he’d be there to tease and fool around with. North was less enthused, but she figured other than being jealous- because he was so totally jealous- he was also probably tired of trying to find them while a car was waiting and catching them making out behind a building all the time. Hey, when it was slow and no cars were actively waiting, of course she was going to drag Monty behind something and kiss him stupid. That was practically a law. Not her fault a stupid car came up when she was busy smooching, alright. 

As fun as it was to spray him with a hose or see his ears turn red when they got caught, she really adored their days off. They didn’t always go to the rink, sometimes they went to a movie or just to grab a bite at a burger place. But she did like going to the rink the most, even if they hadn’t gotten any skates on him yet. Which was weird, in her opinion. He always had an excuse or suggested something else, she was starting to wonder…

“You can’t skate, can you?” She finally asked as they were leaving work one day, narrowing her eyes at him. 

“Who said that?” Monty kind of mumbled, focusing his eyes straight ahead of them. 

“Oh. My. God. You can’t!” She let out loudly, pointing an accusing finger at him.

“I never tried, so. I might know and just don’t know I know.” He shrugged, finally looking at her and lightly swatting her still pointed finger away from him.

“Christ-! Okay. Alright. Not a problem. We’ll just slap some wheels on you and you’ll learn. Simple.” She nodded decidedly, looping an arm around his waist as they crossed the parking lot. 

“Oh yeah. So simple.” He deadpanned, wrinkling his nose a bit. 

“It will be, it’s so easy, kids do it, don’t worry.” South said confidently, giving him a squeeze as they piled into the car. 

The next day was their day off, and she had him meet her at a local park with plenty of cement and asphalt to skate on. She already had her’s on when he got there, holding up a a pair of North’s that she was mostly pretty sure would probably fit him. Hopefully. 

South met his concerned expression with a grin, skating circles around him and snickering. “Don’t look so scared, it’ll be alright.”

“So, no helmet or elbow pads or anything, huh?” He sighed a little, accepting the skates as they were pushed into his arms. 

“What? No, of course not! We don’t need that wimpy shit, just don’t fall down and you’ll be okay.” She shrugged, going away from him a bit before zooming back. 

“Easy for you to say.” He grumbled as he sat on a bench to change out his stable, safe shoes for the unpredictable wheeled ones. 

“Dude, I’ve literally been skating since I was in diapers, it can’t be that hard.” Rolling her eyes, she kept moving around, circling the bench a few times before doing the same but backwards. Maybe lightly showing off. “Just strap in and lets go.”

Frowning again, Monty adjusted the skates a few times before attempting to stand. And flopping back down on his ass instead. He gave it another try much to the same result, eyebrows together as he tried to get his feet and body on the same page. 

Another roll of her eyes, South offered her hand out to help him get up. He was wobbly and unsteady, but he was finally upright. 

“There. Step one is over. You’re on your feet.” She nodded, tugging his hand a little to tow him along with her. “Now. Just. Move your feet.”

“I’m trying.” He said with a puff of his cheeks, one hand clinging to hers and the other sticking out awkwardly for balance. “They’re not moving.”

“What do you mean you’re trying, their not moving? They’re attached to you, just move em.” She insisted, tugging his hand to get him moving a little faster. 

“Oookay, lets just slow down a bit and. Just. Let my legs remember how to move my feet.” He pleaded lightly, his balancing hand waving slightly in the air. 

“Oh my god.” South huffed, slowing down and watching him a moment. “Just, bend your knees a little, and push your feet. Like shuffling. You can shuffle, right? Just shuffle your feet along, like you’re wearing socks on a hard floor.” 

“None of that is working- how’d you learn?” He asked, grasping her hand with both of his as his feet tried to go opposite directions suddenly. 

“I put skates on and just went. Literally.” She said like it was the most simple thing in the world. “Plus I wasn’t afraid to fall, like someone obviously is…”

“Being afraid to fall is a natural thing, alright. The ground is not friendly to faces.” Monty’s gaze stayed glued to his feet, as if looking away would make them try to separate again. 

“You’ll be fine.” She insisted again, gently tugging her hand away and skating a few feet ahead of him. “Come on!”

He flailed his hands slightly to try and keep hold of her’s, frowning as he was left alone. “South, no come on, give me your hand back, I’m not ready.” 

“You’re not going to learn just standing there all bow-legged and clinging to me.” She laughed a little, coming close but staying out of reach. 

“I won’t learn if I break my arm, either.” He countered, alternating between looking at her and his feet, reaching for her hand when she was close but still not catching her. 

“Falling over isn’t going to break your arm, don’t be so dramatic.” Laughing again, she started circling him, nudging at him a few times as she passed behind him. “Just get your balance and shuffle your feet, you’ll be fine.”

“I’m pretty sure I won’t be fine.” Monty grumbled but did try her suggestions, scooting about an inch forward without losing his balance. “Alright, I moved- now gimme your hand back.”

“Fiiiine.” She rolled her eyes yet again and took his hand, smirking and very much enjoying him needing her help. “But only for a little bit, once you get the hang of it you’re on your own.”

He nodded, gripping her hand tightly and letting her pull him along. 

Despite her warning, she didn’t try to pull her hand away again, tangling their fingers together as she lead him along the sidewalks. She kept teasing him, of course, making him either huff out a laugh or a grumble, playfully picking on him but still letting him keep her hand for balance. 

After a couple hours, she tugged him over to a grassy spot, flopping down on her butt and watching him do the same. 

“That wasn’t so bad, now was it?” She asked in a teasing tone, letting her hand find his again in the grass. 

“It… was alright.” He nodded, turning his feet a little and frowning at the skates, “Not sure skating is for me, and especially not at the rink.”

“What? You can’t hold my hand while skating there? Rude.” She tried to keep a serious face, but she couldn’t help grinning when he looked up as if checking to see if she was serious. 

“Mean, you know that isn’t what I was saying.” Monty wrinkled his nose, but likewise smiled as she squeezed his hand. 

“Lots of people need to hold someone’s hand at the rink, see kids with their parents doing it all the time. They even have little walkers you can use for balance, we can do that next time too.” More teasing, grinning at him before she scooted closer to rest her head on his shoulder. 

“That’s it, I’m not going to the rink with you ever again.” He threatened halfheartedly, letting his arm slip around her back as his cheek pressed to her hair. 

“Yeah you are.” She knew it was a bluff, he liked dancing with her too much not to go anymore. 

“Fine, but I’m never skating with you again.” He puffed up his cheeks, letting his eyes close a moment as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

“Yeah huh, you’re gonna skate with me again right now.” Was all the warning she gave before twisting to steal a kiss before pushing herself back up and skating a short distance away. “Come on! Come get me.”

“You know I can’t!” Monty argued even as he was, shakily, getting to his feet. 

“I’ve been towing you around forever now, you have the general idea of it, come on!” She reasoned, hands on her hips and a challenging smile on her lips. 

He grumbled a little under his breath before trying to scoot towards her, hands out awkwardly again for balance. His look of concentration melted into surprise as he successfully skated towards her, a little wobbly and slow and unsteady, but distance was covered!

“See!” She let out, catching his elbows and pull him closer so she could kiss his chin then lips, “You can do it.”

“Guess I can after all.” Monty nodded, kissing her back before she was pulling away again. 

“Now come on, keep going.” She encouraged, skating backwards slowly away from him. “Keep up.”

He eyed her before slowly making his way towards her, smiling a bit as he got the hang of it. 

While he was no pro at it, not by a long shot, he was keeping up with her more or less as they made their way back to the parking lot. For most of it, she kept just out of his reach to keep him moving, grinning and eventually letting him ‘catch’ her. She took his hand for the last bit of the skating adventure, already making plans to nudge him out to the rink sooner than later for some skating and, maybe, some dancing too.


End file.
